Method and means for the preparation of sample cards carrying knotted sample threads



Dec. 9, 1952 E. ERB

METHOD AND MEANS FOR THE PREPARATION OF SAMPLE CARDS CARRYING KNOTTEDSAMPLE THREADS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed NOV. 14, 1949 INVENTOR ERNST ERB,BY lu/em/el-off Z/mf v Enact ATTORNEYS Dec. 9, 1952 ERB 2,620,641

. METHOD AND MEANS FOR THE PREPARATION OF SAMPLE CARDS CARRYINGKNOTTEDSAMPLE THREADS Filed NOV. 14, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET. 2

INVENTOR ERNST ERB,

. I 7 BY waht fo/ Z/WQ/ h0 -k ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 9, 1952 'TIoN OFSAMPLE CARDS CARRYING KNOTTED. THREADS Ernst Erb, Basel, SwitzerlandApplication November 14, 1949, Serial No, 127E141 In SwitzerlandNovember 30, 1948 I Claims.

Hereto'fOr "and en ra i speak n a e cards are made by knot/ting samplethr'eadsor yarns of woolen and the like textile material i side theperfora ions o hole pro on edges of the sample cards so as to drop infront of the latter.

AS the knott'ing of threads was heretofore done exclusively by hand, theprocedure consisted m r ly in uin the hr ads a yarns on t cards the caseof mass production. This forms the most rational metho nd c n sts inthat the threads or yarns fed by warps prepared previously are gluedbetween the actual sample card and a strip. overin ame le h d fi threadsand yarns are cut to the desired length. This method has, however, thedrawback that the sample cards obtained have an appearance that is poorwith reference to sample cards carrying knotted threads.

For t u p se i as, en re d a tempted to execute mechanically theknotting of the threads over the perforations of a periorated strip, thethreads being fed as precedingly from previously prepared warps. Butsuch attempts have met with various 'difiicult'ies leading alWa-YS t0faulty operation. Thus the hooks that are intended to draw the threadsthrough the perforations in the perforated strip in order to give them aloop shape cannot, by reason of the reduced diameter of theperforations, have a size sufficient for producing a wide enough loop.As a consequence, the members that are to fetch the ends or the threadsafter passing through the loops fo returning them again through saidloops for fastening them cannot always be introduce'd through suchnarrow loops with certainty which prevents reliability in operation. Ithas, therefore, been proposed to provide further memhers such as pointedwedges inside'the loops for widening same. But this leads in its turn toa greater number of operative steps and makes the plant -a moreintricatfi one. I

Furthermore, it is not possible to obtain with such spacing orloop-opening means aper'fectly reliable operation as the tips of thepointed wedges cannot reliably engage the loops when one of the hooks isshifted even to a very small extent out its actual normal position.Similarly, the different prior khotting methods have lead to substantiallosses of the material to be knotted I by reason of the hanging threadsrequiring a subsequent cutting to a uniform length which m a ls a fur erope ative step.

Now, my invention has for its object a novel method and means forsolving the above dis 2 closed problem and cutting out all the causes orfaulty operation. It is possible, thereby, to provide in sh'ojr"succession-for the knotting of threads over emigrant strips, thethreads being fed from -a previously f rmed war without this leading toany loss o? material.

In accordancew i th method, the novel idea consists in that there areused for drawing the loops through the perforations of the sample card,two combs that are independent from one another and the superposed hooksof which are moved in the-same direction so as to pass through theperforations in the 'perforated strip and to catch the warp tn-rosesaovanem' in front of said combs in order to give said threadssimultaneously the shape of loops. Thus there are always two combshanging on the lohp's "thus formed of which one "serves-rerholding' theWhile the other coin'b fetches the ends of the threads and pulls themthrough the loops. As the second comb has already engaged the loopsthrough hooks, before it has taken hold of the warp thread ones, it isan easy inatter to move it reliably through said loops so that itmay'take hold 'of the "two ends of the thread. corresponding to eachloop, which ends have been laid during thfs'fiist operative step side byside over the front of the per-rotated -stri'p, said comb then drawingthe thread emas through the loops that are held in place by the othercard. A tightening of the loops at the end or the operation ensures thefinal iastening of the threads over the perforations of the sample card.

In other words, two independent combs hold in place 'tnepreviousryformed 160115 by "means of one of Said comhswhiie the-other'eomb is thencaused to pass through the loops and to engage through itshooks the endsOf the threads that are hold fast for this purpose, the last mentionedComb urging then said thread ends over the edge of the perforated stripinto the loops thus held by the first comb.

The novel features of the arrangement acco'rd-ing to my invention andits operation are disclosed hereinafter, referen e being n'i-a'de toaccompanying erawines, wherein:

Fig; 1 is anew from above, partly sectional, of a comb adapted to takehold 'of the threads.

Fig. 2 is a view from above or a eom piete arrangement accorsmg t0invention, illustrated at the moment at which a tomb carries the warthreads O'Vi the perforated strip that has been introduced into asupport or sai airangern'ei i't. e 1 A mg. 3 illustrates disseminate-anyhan the means provided for holding the perforated strips during theknotting operation.

Fig. 3a is a view, in end elevation, corresponding to Fig. 3.

Figs. 4, and 6 are diagrams adapted to illustrate the actual operationsof the knotting means.

The arrangement includes five similar threadengaging and clamping combsincluding a number of hooks provided each with a pressing or clampingmember. The combs designated respectively as 1a, 1b, 1c, id, is are allsimilar to the comb i illustrated in detail in Fig. 1. They are intendedto catch and hold the warp threads and to draw said threads through theperforations in the perforated strips in order to form the desired loopsand finally they are used for returning the ends of the threads throughthe loops formed by them to secure said threads in the perforations ofthe perforated strip.

Turning again to Fig. 1,! designates the actual comb body, 2 the hooksrigid with the latter, 3 the pressure members sliding vertically inopenings provided in the comb and 4 a rail or the like member rigid withthe different pressure members for controlling their simultaneous risingand sinking movements.

The hooks are rigid with the comb body E while, as stated, the pressuremembers may slide in the openings provided in said comb body.

The books 2 and the presser members 3 are distributed in accordance witha predetermined law of distribution corresponding to the distributionprovided for the perforations in the perforated strip on which thesample threads are to be knotted. Fig. 1 illustrates the presser members3 in their open position on the left hand side of said figure, while theright hand side of the comb shows sectionally the presser members 3 thatare supposed to lie in their closed position for which the threads areclamped. Between the two halves of Fig. 1 is illustrated sectionally apresser member that has been submitted to a pivotal movement by 90 inorder to appear in side view. Said part of Fig. 1 shows how the upperflange of the rail t engages the recess 5 of the rod 6 of the pressermember 3 with the insertion of a spring 7 between the lower flange ofthe rail 4 and the lower end of the rod 6. Said spring '5 is wound overa stud 8 forming a lower extension of reduced diameter on the rod 6 ofthe presser member and the different springs l are designed in a mannersuch that the total power that may be exerted on the rail 4 may bedistributed uniformly throughout the presser members whereby I thelatter are allowed to clamp threads of different thicknesses between thehooks and the corresponding presser member heads.

The rail 4 or the like member may be controlled pneumatically,electromagnetically, mechanically or else by hand as illustrated in theexample of Fig. 1 where it is supposed that it is controlled through theagency of the lever It. It is therefore not necessary to describe withfurther detail the arrangement for controlling said rail The pressermembers 3 are obtained through bending of a wire. They are guided incorresponding openings or grooves of the comb body and their heads 9 areguided over the stems H of the hooks 2. For this purpose and also forproviding a suitable clamping of the thread, the head 9 of each pressermember is centrally slotted at l2, so that said presser member may clampthe thread to either side of the book 2 engagin said slot.

In order to clamp in a uniform and gradual manner the threads lying onthe hooks, the heads 9 of the presser members are provided with anoblique surface obtained through a mere bending or folding deformation.

The tips of the hooks when closed over the presser member head engagethe slot I2 in the corresponding presser member head. These hook tipsare actually covered to either side thereof by the surfaces of thepresser member heads facing them. This is in particular the case for thecomb 10 (Fig. 6) so that the latter cannot engage and remain in hangingrelationship inside the thread loop when it is urged back through saidloop.

Fig. 3 shows a detail of the means for holding the perforated stripsduring operation. It consists chiefly in a carrier plate it providedwith teeth I5 the distribution of which corresponds to the distributionof the hooks on the combs, the tips of said teeth being folded back sothat the perforated strips I3 may be slidingly engaged underneath saidtips and be thus held over the plate 14 throughout their length throughtheir upper surface. In the case of perforated strips of differentlengths, there are provided to either side of the latter stops I6 (Fig.3) carrying spring blades I1 and capable of being mounted selectively ineither of the perforations provided to this purpose at [8, [3. Thetongue 29 terminating the spring blade l? is bent downwardly and bearsyieldingly against the perforated strip engaging the thread-holdingarrangement or more accurately the plate I4 so as to prevent anyundesired shifting of said strip.

Figs. 2, a, 5, 6 illustrate diagrammatically the operation of thearrangement. Fig. 2 that is a view from above, corresponds to the momentat which the warp threads 2| are carried along by the comb la over theperforated strip l3 lying on the carrier plate l4. Said threads are fedthrough any suitable means that are not illustrated. The threads areguided and suitably distributed through the perforations 22 provided inthe transversal guiding rail 23 and between the teeth of the crossmember 24 lying in parallelism with and at a short distance from saidguiding rail 23. The short guiding distance thus provided between themembers 23 and 24 ensures the proper engagement of the hooks of theclamping comb with said threads.

Fig. 4 corresponds to the most important moment of operation, whichmoment is that at which the two combs lb and I0 forming part of thesystem of five combs Ia, lb, Ic, Id, is are guided so as to passtogether through the perforations in the perforated strip 13 and betweenthe teeth of the plate It so as to take hold of the warp threads 2|stretched as disclosed over said perforated strip by the first comb la.Consequently, the combs lb and is make the threads pass through theperforations in the perforated strip [3 and give them the shape of aloop 25 (Fig. 5) The warp threads are on the other hand previously takenhold of and clamped in register with the cross beam 2 through the twoother combs Id and ie.

The thread warp is then out between the two combs idie through theagency of a knife whereby the comb Ie forms and holds again an end. of athread warp, said comb is holding warp until a further cycle of knottingcperations begins over again with the threads of said warp. The comb Idis now brought as illustrated in Fig. 5 above and into register with thec la g h r w th the ends of the threads I held thereby, whereby the twoends 26 of the thread forming the loop '25 come into superposedrelationship "by reason of the combs let-Id resting over one another tothe front of the edge of the perforated strip. The combs lb and lo hangthus through their new open hooks inside the loops 25. The rear comb ljcis then raised somewhat and urged obliquely and upwardly through theloops 25 so as to take hold of the ends 26 of the threads that arealready clamped by the combs la and lb whereby said rear'com'b to clampssaid ends 25. This' being done, it .is possible to release the pressingmeme bers of the combs la and lb; theicorhbfilc is, causedto carrythe'ends of the threads along with it and causes then to pass inside theloop's '25; At this moment, the front comb ibstillretains the loopsthrough its-open hooks but'it allows; said loops to shrink whileyielding in a uniform manner; Before the loops are completely' closedthrough the operation of the comb to, said comb ibis released. Thisrelease is obtained by mov ing said comb lb towards the sidecorresponding to the backs of the hooks; consequently the loops areeasily released while the tips of the hooks H may be removed withoutbeing disturbed at any moment during the removal of the comb of whichthey form part.

The comb Ic serves then for urging into more intimate contact the loopsover the perforated strip while fastening the knot that is shown in itsfirst'stage of formation in Fig. 6.

The combs lalblcld are then released and'removed from the threads andmay be used for a further operation while the comb ie is returned withits thread warp into the position corresponding to the position of thecomb a in Fig. 2 after positioning of a further perforated strip on theplate M.

It is also possibleto lay side by side several combs so as to formcomparatively long bars whereby it is an easy matter to perform thesimultaneous'knotting ofa number of perforated strips through the samestages of operation and the same movements. v

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are diagrammatic showings of different locations of thecombs corresponding to the different'stages of operation. It is however.possible, within the scope of the invention, to control mechanicallysaid combs so as t-cjobtain an automatic operation of the arrangement.

What I claim is: v

1. In a method for knotting threads on perforated strips in order toproduce sample cards, the steps of clamping the threads of a cut warpsheet lying on one side of a perforated strip on" two independent hookcarrying combs, the hooks of which extend through the correspondingperforations of a perforatedstrip and-draw ing said threads through saidperforations; for forming loops on the further side of the strip,turning the cut ends of the warp threads back so that they lie over thefree QlfldS thQT801i,l leasing one of the combs with reference to thethreads, urging said comb through the 'loops to engage the ends of thethreads remaining on the first side of the strip, and returning the lastmentioned comb through the loops to tighten the threads over the edge ofthe strip, releasing the other comb from the threads and removing bothcombs away therefrom.

2. In a method for knotting threads on perforated strips in ordertdproduce sample cards, the steps of clamping the hooks provided on twoindependent combs on the threads of a; cut

warp sheet, causing the thread-clamping hooks of both combs to passthrough the corresponding perforations of a perforated strip for formingloops on the further side of the strip, releasing the hooks of one combwith reference to the threads while leaving the stems carrying saidhooks inside the corresponding loops, turning the cut ends of eachthread to extend together over the edge of the strip nearest theperforations therein, urging the above mentioned hook stems through theloops to make the hooks thereon clamp the thread ends and returning thethread end engaging hooks through the loops, tightening the threadsthrough action on last mentioned hooks over the edge of the said strip,and removing the hooks of both combs away from the threads engagedthereby.

3. A method for knotting threads on perforated strips for producingsample cards consisting in holding warp threads by means of threehook-carrying combs, one comb at the free ends of said threads and twocombs at two points lying very near one another at distances from saidfree ends that are substantially equal to the length required for theknotting of the sample threads, laying the threads carried between thefirst comb and the other combs over a perforated strip, cutting thethreads between the last two combs, engaging two further hook carryingcombs with their hooks extending through the perforations of the stripfrom the side of the latter opposed to the threads, turning the cut endsof the threads over the first mentioned free ends thereof to extendtogether with them over the edge of the strip that is nearest theperforations, clamping the threads on the hooks of both last mentionedcombs and drawing back the two last mentioned combs with thethread-carrying hooks through the perforations to form a loop on theside of the strip opposed to the remainder of the threads, releasing thehooks of one of the last mentioned combs and urging the released hooksfreely through the loops into engagement with the folded ends of thethreads extending over the strip edge, removing the combs carrying thecooperating ends of the threads, drawing back the thread end engagingcomb through the loops to tighten the threads inside their loops overthe said strip edge, and removing the two combs engaging the loop.

4. A method for knotting threadson perforated strips for producingsample cards consisting in holding warp threads by means of threehook-carrying combs, one comb at the free ends of said threads and twocombs at two points lyingvery near'one another at distances from saidfree ends that are substantially equal to the length required for theknotting of the sample threads, laying the threads carried between thefirst comb and the other combs over a perforated stripfclutting thethreads between the two last combs, engaging two further hook-carryingcombs with their hooks extending through the perforations of the stripfrom the side of the'latter opposed tothe threads, turning the cut endsof the threads over the first mentioned free ends thereof to extendtogether with them over the edge of the strip that is nearest theperforations, clamping the threads on the hooks of both last mentionedcombs and drawing back the two last mentioned combs with thethread-carrying hooks through the perforations to form a loop on theside of the strip opposed to the remainder of the threads releasing thehooks of one of the last mentioned combs and urging the released hooksfreely through the loops into engagement with the folded ends of thethreads extending over the strip edge, removing the combs carrying thecooperating ends of the first threads, drawing back the thread endengaging comb through the loops to tighten the threads inside theirloops over the said strip edge, and removing the further comb remainingin clamping cooperation with the loops, finishing the tightening actionof the comb that has engaged the ends of the threads, releasing saidcomb and urging the third comb into operative position in the place ofthe first comb to make the end of the remaining thread warp lie over thelocation of a further perforated strip.

5. In an arrangement for knotting threads over perforated sample cardslaid over a support, the provision of at least two combs comprising eacha body, a number of parallel hooks including stems rigid with the combbody, each hook being adapted to engage a thread through a perforationof the sample card strip, an equal number of pressure members slidinglycarried by the comb body in register with said hooks and adapted toclamp said threads between their heads and said hooks when said pressuremem bers are in their outer operative position, and a. common memberoperatively connected to the different pressure members and adapted tomove in a direction parallel with the hook stems and means controllingthe movements of last mentioned member for bringing the pressure memberscarried thereby into and out of their op erative positions registeringwith the hooks.

6. In an arrangement for knotting threads over perforated sample cardslaid over a support, the provision of at least two combs comprising eacha body, a number of parallel hooks including stems rigid with the combbody, each hook being adapted to engage a thread through a perforationof the sample card strip, an equal number of pressure members slidinglycarried by the comb body in register with said hooks and adapted toclamp said threads between their a heads and said hooks when saidpressure members are in their outer operative position, and a commonmember operatively connected to the different pressure members andadapted to move in a direction parallel with the hook stems, means forcontrolling the movements of last mentioned member for bringing thepressure members carried thereby into and out of their operativepositions registering with the hooks, springs connecting the inner endsof the pressure members with the corresponding member controlling thelatter for yieldingly urging the pressure members towards the hooks andabsorbing the reaction produced by the clamping of the threads betweenthe hooks and the pressure members.

7. In an arrangement for knotting threads over perforated sample cardslaid over a support, the provision of at least two combs comprising eacha body, a number of parallel hooks including stems rigid with the combbody, each hook being adapted to engage a thread through a perforationof the sample card strip, an equal number of pressure members slidinglycarried by the comb body in register with said hooks including headsprovided with an axial slot the sides of which slidingly engage thecooperating surfaces of the hook stems and are adapted to exert aclamping action on the threads engaged between said sides of the slotand cooperating hooks, a common member operatively connected to the Y 8different pressure members and adapted to move in a direction parallelwith the hook stems and means controlling the movements of lastmentioned member for bringing the pressure members carried thereby intoand out of their operative positions registering with the hooks.

8. In an arrangment for knotting threads over sample cards including acarrier plate for perforated strips that are to form the sample cards,said carrier plate comprising projecting teeth folded back to form withthe remainder of the carrier plate in register with the intervalsseparating the location of the perforations in said strips a guide forthe introduction of the perforated strips and at least two combscomprising each a body, a number of parallel hooks including stems rigidwith the comb body, each hook being adapted to engage a thread through aperforation of the sample card strip, an equal number of pressuremembers slidingly carried by the comb body in register with said hooksand adapted to clamp said threads between their heads and said hookswhen said pressure members are in their outer operative position, acommon member operatively connected to the different pressure membersand adapted to move in a direction parallel with the hook stems andmeans controlling the movements of last mentioned member for bringingthe pressure members carried thereby into and out of their operativepositions registering with the hooks.

9. In an arrangement for knotting threads over perforated sample cardslaid over .a support, the provision of at least two combs comprisingeach a body, a number of parallel hooks including stems rigid with thecomb body, each hook being adapted to engage a thread through aperforation or the sampie card strip, an equal number of pressuremembers slidingly carried by the comb body in register with said hooksincluding heads provided with an axial slot the sides of which slidinglyengage the cooperating surfaces of the hook stems and are adapted toexert a clamping action on the threads engaged between said sides of theslot and cooperating hooks, the heads of the pressure members havingoblique surfaces for the gradual clamping of the threads between sameand the corresponding hooks, a common member operatively connected tothe difierent pressure members and adapted to move in a directionparallel with the hook stems and means controlling the movements of lastmentioned member for bringing the pressure members carried thereby intoand out of their operative positions registering with the hooks.

10. In an arrangement for knotting threads over sample cards including acarrier plate for the perforated strips that are to form the samplecards, said carrier plate comprising projecting teeth folded back toform with the remainder of the carrier plate in register with theintervals separating the location of the perforations in said strips aguide for the introduction of the perforated strips, at least oneadjustable stop adapted to be secured to the carrier plate at anadjustable point thereof, a spring blade rigid with said stop for urgingthe perforated strip into contact with the carrier plate and at leasttwo combs comprising each a body, a number of parallel hooks includingstems rigid with the comb body, each hook being adapted to engage athread through a perforation of the sample card strip, an equal numberof pressure mem- 9 10 bers slidingly carried by the comb body inregister with said hooks and adapted to clamp said REFERENCES CITEDthreads between their heads and said hooks when The following referencesare of record in the said pressunia members are in tlioeir outert opfilf this patent; era ive posit on, a common mem er opera ive- 5 1yconnected to the diiferent pressure members UNITED STATES PATENTS andadapted to move in a direction parallel with Number Name Date the hookstems and. means controlling the move- 1,705,860 Hagihara Mar. 19, 1929ments of last mentioned member for bringing 2,087,572 Gastrich July 20,1937 the pressure members carried thereby into and 10 2,239,212 'AdamsApr. 22, 1941 1(31111:; 22:11:38.1! operative pos1tions reg1ster1ng withFOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date ERNST ERB. 789.612 France Nov. 4,1935

